Resident Evil: The Final Chapter UltraHD Blu-ray Review
By Chris Heinonen on
Audio Quality
Video Quality
Overall
Summary: Picking up after Resident Evil: Retribution, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead. Now, she must return to where the nightmare began – The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.
Written and Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER is produced by Jeremy Bolt, Paul W.S. Anderson, Robert Kulzer and Samuel Hadida; with Martin Moszkowicz and Victor Hadida serving as executive producers.
Movie Review: Compared to previous films in the Resident Evil series I have watched, The Final Chapter is better fleshed out and written. Though the writers are a bit too fond of putting the heroes at the top of a building with zombies all around, the plot is easier to follow than in prior films. There are still some bits that are ridiculous, as the main characters always pick bad times to have awful judgment, but overall the film is decent.
Technical Review: Shot at 5K on Redcode RAW with a full 4K digital intermediate, Resident Evil should offer a superb image and it delivers. The opening scenes are shot with a very drab color palette but that doesn’t mean the image disappoints. Details are crisp and clear, with the only downside being that the VFX aren’t as detailed as the rest of the shot. That falls to the VFX team and is not a fault of the transfer.
When the film really shines is when they enter The Hive. Here you have many shots with very dark interiors that are only lit by a flashlight. The beam can be almost blinding when put against the dark background with HDR. Moving to an OLED for comparison has made this contrast between the two even more apparent. While the first half of the film looks wonderful, it is the second half that shines and shows off what UltraHD with HDR can look like.
The soundtrack here doesn’t disappoint as it uses Dolby Atmos to put you right into the center of the action. Like the video, the audio steps up inside The Hive since the enclosed space allows for better atmospheric effects at all times. From the opening scene, with a flying monster attacking, until the very end, the soundtrack does not hold back.
Special Features: Three featurettes and a sneak peek at the upcoming Resident Evil: Vendetta.
Review System: Sony 65” A1E OLED, Oppo UDP-203 UltraHD Blu-ray Player
, KEF Ci5160RL-THX Fronts, Ci3160RL-THX Center, 2x Ci200RR-THX Surrounds, 4x CI200RR-THX Atmos Speakers, Anthem MRX 1120 Receiver.
Pros
Fantastic image and audio quality, wonderful use of HDR that can really show off what a high-end display can do.
Cons
Color palette is fairly drab.
Summary
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter shows off what high-end audio video systems can do, and the movie is an improvement upon prior entries in the series.
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